Soundgarden Celebrate Release of ‘King Animal’ With Sold-Out Show in New York City

A little more than a year ago, Soundgarden played a show at a venue just outside of New York City that has a capacity of well over 15,000, but for the release of their latest album, 'King Animal,' the band decided to get a little more intimate. As part of a string of small-venue shows, Soundgarden celebrated the release of 'King Animal' at New York City's Irving Plaza with a sold-out crowd of just over 1,000 screaming fans on Nov. 13.

Taking the stage a few minutes after 9 PM, Soundgarden tore into a jamming rendition of 'Incessant Mace.' In a set that lasted nearly two and a half hours, the band played songs like 1989's 'Gun' and the Grammy Award-winning 'Spoonman' that were sure to please long-time Soundgarden fans. Throughout the night, the band also played several new tracks like 'Non-State Actor,' 'Eyelid's Mouth' and their latest single, 'Been Away Too Long.'

Song after song, Soundgarden rocked Irving Plaza with no signs of slowing down. Only addressing the crowd a handful of times, frontman Chris Cornell was more worried with delivering a memorable performance than chit-chatting with fans. During his first break, Cornell explained to the crowd that this was not just a concert, but it was "kind of a record release party." During another break, he poured his heart out to the fans and thanked them for allowing Soundgarden to get back together and create new music.

The band sounded just as tight as they ever did in the 1990s. From guitarist Kim Thayil's face-melting shredding to bassist Ben Shepherd's insane finger-picking, to drummer Matt Cameron's ferocious style, Soundgarden took every single note they played extremely seriously. This was even more apparent with Cornell's intense and methodical focus on his beautiful lyrics and dynamic vocals.

Albums like 'King Animal' and live shows like the gig at Irving Plaza - not to mention their appearance on CBS' 'Live on Letterman' - don't come around very often. If this is what happens when you take a 16-year-long break, perhaps more bands should follow Soundgarden's lead.